Just recently YNOT announced our plans for YNOT Summit 2020, a virtual conference for adult industry professionals. Virtual adult trade shows are a new thing, so you’re probably wondering whether they’re worth your time and attention.
I think the answer to that question, as I’ll explain, is a resounding yes.
Interest in virtual events has skyrocketed since many of us are practicing social distancing to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. We saw YNOT Summit as an opportunity to provide models, webmasters, performers, marketers, affiliates and business executives with an alternative tool for interacting and staying connected. And, we’re able to do it without any safety risks and with zero travel costs for attendees.
To be clear, we don’t think virtual events are a total replacement for in-person events. It’s pretty hard to replace the benefit we all get from spending time in the same room, meeting face-to-face, sharing drinks and partying into the late-night hours. We’re all looking forward to the triumphant return of IRL shows as soon as it’s safe for them to do so.
Virtual shows though have a lot to offer, both temporarily in lieu of in-person events (while COVID-19 is a concern) and even into the future as a supplement to traditional shows.
What can you expect from attending virtual events? The benefits are similar from show to show, but we can take a look at the planned YNOT Summit to give you an idea how it all works.
Virtual Sessions are Valuable
When you arrive on the first day of YNOT Summit, you’ll be greeted with a schedule full of ‘sessions’ for the day – and by sessions we mean webinars, roundtable discussions and presentations. Throughout the event you can pick topics that interest you and join in. Speakers/presenters will be live on camera, so not dissimilar from a Zoom meeting. You’ll have a chat window as well where you can ask questions.
This is your chance to learn more about the topics you care about. It’s your opportunity to participate in live discussions about your business. Get answers, pick up tips and ideas, and get to know some of the other people who have taken leadership positions in the adult entertainment business.
Virtual sessions are a centerpiece attraction for any good virtual conference. They top the list of reasons to attend, and they’re probably alone worth your participation.
Live Networking Keeps You Connected
Most virtual events have tools for business networking. Video streaming has advanced considerably in recent years, just in time for the explosion of virtual trade shows. Networking on-camera means being seen and feeling connected. This can be a big psychological boost, especially for those of us who crave social interaction. It can also lead to new business opportunities, help keep industry connections alive, and create all new friendships that may well carry over into future years.
For YNOT Summit, we’ll have several virtual “lounges” available where attendees can hang out and chat on camera and/or through text chat (for the camera-shy). Past events like AW Meet Up have shown that these lounges can be a whole lot of fun, so use them when you’re not attending sessions or browsing exhibits.
There also will be special “Speed Networking” times on the YNOT Summit schedule. This works a little like “chat roulette” … when you enter the Speed Networking section of YNOT Summit, you’ll be randomly connected with another attendee. You’ll have a certain period of time to introduce yourselves and exchange information, then you’ll be connected to someone new. It’s a lot of fun meeting people this way and, of course, running into familiar faces as well. Using the Speed Networking features at YNOT Summit is a foolproof way to nurture business leads.
Virtual Exhibits Simulate an IRL Show Floor
Most IRL shows include some means for companies to exhibit. Traditionally this means an exhibit floor where companies setup booths and staff them with representatives. At real world adult industry B2B events we often use lounge exhibits and/or “meet market” events designed to keep costs down for exhibitors.
You might at first think: how can the “booth” concept work with virtual exhibits? Turns out, quite nicely. For starters, virtual booths allow companies to present attendees with key information about their services, including basic descriptions, promotional videos and links to company websites or social media pages. Visiting a booth in-person is similar, you look through marketing materials and try to learn more about a company.
Most virtual events also allow companies to “staff” their booths, which adds a ton of value to their virtual exhibit. When a booth is staffed by a live representative of that company, the experience is similar to in-person events. Attendees can visit a booth and have a dialogue with that exhibiting company. If you already know the company this is an opportunity for you to swing by and say hello and talk about any business dealings you’ve had or should have in the future.
With the YNOT Summit show, companies can choose to have a live on-camera representative at their booth. Attendees can turn on their cameras to speak directly with the representative, just like a Zoom meeting. You can leave your virtual business card at the booth as well, so the company knows to follow up with you after the event.
We’ve also asked exhibitors to provide special promotional offers to anyone who visits their booths. Which means as an attendee, you’ll be able to shop around at the different exhibits and pick up special benefits you can only receive by participating.
Add YNOT Summit to Your Calendar
Consider that you don’t have to buy airline tickets or book hotel rooms to attend a virtual event. You don’t have to spend money on extravagant dinners. With YNOT Summit, we’ve decided to set the ticket price at exactly ZERO dollars because we want everyone in the industry to see exactly why virtual events can be so valuable.
At the end of the day though, a virtual event’s effectiveness will be limited by the work its organizers put into developing it. It matters who else is participating in an event and what quality content is on the schedule.
You’ll also find that you’ll get more out of a virtual event if you put some effort into it yourself.
If you’re exhibiting at a virtual event, think about how you might drive people to your booth – this is really no different than what you would do at an in-person event. Will you have attractive offers for attendees? How will you get the word out? What marketing materials will you have ready to go? Will you have special guests appearing at your booth? Do some pre-event marketing to let your customers know you’ll be at the show and available for virtual meetings at your booth.
If you’re just planning to attend, spend some time looking over the event schedule and the featured speakers. Make a plan for sessions you don’t want to miss, and then spend some time getting familiar with the environment as soon as you log into the show on the first day.
Hopefully we’ll see many of you at YNOT Summit so you can see for yourself how all this works. If you’re industry and you haven’t registered yet, visit the YNOT Summit website to learn more. Show dates are July 20th – 22nd.
